Canada’s resource sector is facing a skilled labour shortage due to an aging workforce and a scarcity of new skilled workers. In the next five to 10 years, it is estimated the global mining industry will need more than 55,000 new workers to meet demand.

In B.C. alone, according to the Mining Association of B.C., the industry will need to fill nearly 6,000 positions by 2016. As The Vancouver Sun’s B.C. 2035 series attests, competition to attract the best talent is intense. For instance, Goldcorp typically has more than 100 job openings at any given time across operations in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and South America.

What’s preventing the mining industry from attracting skilled workers? In part, our sector has struggled to overcome misconceptions about mining practices and the type of work experience we can offer our employees. Outdated ideas about mining as an old-fashioned or “dirty” industry persist, even though our sector has made significant progress in advancing technologies, improving environmental performance and ensuring positive, lasting social benefits in the communities where we operate.

It’s time to let both the public and potential recruits know that today’s mining industry has sophisticated operations that are constantly evolving and improving in step with technological innovation. Mining offers well-paid positions that lead to opportunities for professional growth throughout a thriving global sector.

Mining offers a forward-thinking, exciting and challenging career. So what can Goldcorp and other industry players do to overcome our recruitment challenges? We need to get ahead of the curve. I believe the key solutions are attracting today’s young talent as a catalyst for growth and evolution, fostering educational partnerships to engage critical thinkers and working with third-party organizations and experts to improve industry practices.

At Goldcorp, we put our people first. We’ve started working closely with university graduate programs to attract the best talent that will move the industry forward. This year alone, we’re bringing 25 university graduates on board from several Canadian and U.S. universities for a two-year structured graduate program. These new hires, regardless of their educational discipline, will have the opportunity to rotate across operations and also experience different aspects of our business. They are exposed to training throughout the company, giving them a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to run a successful operation.

Our goal is about more than filling immediate recruitment needs; we’re challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about our rapidly evolving industry, and changing the notion that mining only requires geologists and engineers. It’s about so much more than exploration, drilling and mining. Our team members with expertise in finance, human resources, environmental studies, law, safety and public affairs play a vital role in making us a forward-thinking company.

As Goldcorp works toward its sustainability goals, our young employees push us from the inside to challenge norms and standards every step of the way. Partnerships with educational and non-governmental institutions will take our research and best practices to the next level. For instance, we’ve partnered with the University of Victoria to help advance research and scholarship in the areas of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, through a donation to the Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation at the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business. We’re working with world-class conservation authorities to optimize our use of water, and at some sites, have achieved a water recycling rate of 97 per cent to help preserve this precious natural resource.

We’re also changing our approach to career advancement. For mining to be a sought-after career, the industry needs to break down silos that have existed in traditional career paths. In the past, people tended to stay in one vocation or a single location. At Goldcorp, we enable our employees to “zigzag” across roles, business lines and locations. For instance, I’ve transitioned from a background in safety to a challenging leadership role in human resources.

Although mining has a long-standing history of being an economic driver in B.C. and throughout the Americas, for many young people it’s still not seen as an attractive career opportunity. Our industry needs to tell today’s young generation — tomorrow’s leaders — that mining offers more than a job. It offers a chance to build a career influencing how natural resources can be extracted in a way that benefits the economy and communities, with as little ecological impact as possible. Travel, competitive pay, high job placements, and exciting new technologies come with the territory.

Paul Farrow is senior vice-president, people and safety at Goldcorp. He is based in Vancouver. For more information, visitwww.goldcorp.com/careers.

Comments

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.

Saskatoon loves its Christmas lights. The Enchanted Forest draws thousands of vehicles each week. The late Bob Hinitt worked for months building his light display, which drew thousands of cars each year to Wiggins Avenue. And Scott Lambie on Clinkskill Drive has continued the tradition with more than 70,000 dancing lights (up from 50,000 last […]

When it comes to gift giving, they say it’s the thought that counts. But many are wondering if Mayor Drew Dilkens was thinking at all when he gave Olympic superstar Michael Phelps — whose battles with booze are well known — a big bottle of Canadian Club whisky.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.